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Modernizing Geography with ArcGIS: Mapping wildlife and natural resources

In the latest Modernizing Geography with ArcGIS post, discover ArcGIS lessons, activities, data and story maps that focus on the importance of wildlife and natural resources in Canada.

ArcGIS is a tool that can be used to explore the locations of wildlife and natural resources in Canada and to analyse the impact of human activity on these areas. In this Modernizing Geography with ArcGIS post, you will find ArcGIS lessons, activities, data and story maps that support these Canadian Geography topics tied to curricula.

Let’s have a look!

Activities and Story Maps

Exploring Natural Resources in Canada
In this resource, you will learn about Canada's Forests, Freshwater, Oil and Gas, Mineral and Mining natural resources.

A story map showing a map of forests in Canada and an accompanying video.

Explore the location of some of Canada’s most important resources using ArcGIS.

Canada’s Atlantic Ocean and Fisheries
Fishing is a global industry and of key importance to Canada. In this activity you will explore the Atlantic Ocean, the collapse of the Atlantic cod, the current state of Atlantic fisheries, and sustainable management practices.

Story map showing fisheries data in Canada.

Learn more about Canada’s Atlantic fisheries through maps and other media.

Northern Peatlands in Canada
This story map will take you on a journey through the northern peatlands of Canada and explain why they are so important for both climate and biodiversity.

A map showing Indigenous protected and conservation areas and the location of peatlands in Canada.

Indigenous leadership is essential in protecting northern peatlands in Canada, including the biodiversity and carbon.

Endemic Species in Canada
There are over 300 plants and animals that are uniquely Canadian and not found anywhere else in the world. In this story map, learn about these important species and find out where they are located in Canada.

WCS Canada Story Map Collection
WCS Canada saves wildlife and wild places in Canada through science, conservation action, and by inspiring people to value nature. Learn more about our work through these story maps!

Old Growth Forests of Nova Scotia
In this story map, you will learn about the importance of old growth forests and where they are located in Nova Scotia.

Web Maps

Water in Canada
In this web map, you will discover the location of water sources in Canada including watershed data.

A map showing rivers and watersheds in Canada.

Explore this map to learn more about the water resources in Canada.

Oil and Gas in Canada
This web map includes locations of oil and gas reserves and rock type in Canada.

For more advanced ArcGIS Online users – check out this lesson!

GIS for Wildlife Conservation
In this Career Path Series lesson on GIS for Wildlife Conservation, you will get a snapshot of how GIS is used to make informed decisions about protecting wildlife.

A map showing the biodiversity of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians found in Canada

In this hands-on lesson, learn how to GIS is used for wildlife conservation in Canada.

We want to hear from educators

You can share activities that you want to update with ArcGIS. Our group can support you with ideas and suggestions. Email us at k12@esri.ca.

New to ArcGIS Online?

If you are new to ArcGIS Online, educators can request an account for themselves and their students at k12.esri.ca/#access.

Explore the Esri Canada K-12 Resource Finder to find other resources for your class.

Check out the following beginner resources to get started with ArcGIS Online:

For Educators - Let’s get started with ArcGIS Online
Explore the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

For Students – Enroute with ArcGIS Online

Using ArcGIS Online and want to learn more?

Discover Story Maps
Survey123
Creating ArcGIS Dashboards 

About the Author

Angela Alexander is a K-12 Education Specialist in the Esri Canada Education and Research group. She has over 15 years of experience working with educators across Canada. Angela focuses on producing geographic information system (GIS) and curriculum-specific resources, and conducting and creating custom workshops for educators. She manages the GIS Ambassador Program and is the Technical Chair for the annual Skills Ontario GIS competition. Angela also writes monthly posts for the Esri Canada Education and Research blog, highlighting K-12 educators and partners, new ArcGIS resources and GIS-related events.

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